Santa Monica Zoning Attorney

Find the right Zoning Planning & Land Use attorney in Santa Monica, CA

Zoning Planning & Land Use Law in California

The laws governing how land can and cannot be used in Santa Monica, California are fairly complex, and can be confusing to laypersons. This should provide a basic overview.

Local governments will usually divide the city or town into sections, called "zones," each of which is designated for a particular use, such as residential homes, commercial businesses, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. This process is known as "zoning."

Zoning serves several different purposes - but it its main one is to increase or preserve property values by ensuring that conflicting uses don't result in legal disputes. Obviously, if you bought a house in a residential neighborhood, and your neighbor could simply convert his property into a steel mill, your property's value as a residential lot would decrease significantly.

Zoning also serves the interests of industry, as well as residents. By ensuring that there are places where heavy industry can take place, well-planned zoning regulations will ensure that industrialists are free to practice their trade, and that residents will not be disturbed by those activities, which makes industry more efficient by helping it avoid costly nuisance lawsuits.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Santa Monica, California

If a condition on your property violates the local zoning laws of Santa Monica, California, there are a few different solutions.

It should be obvious that the first option you should consider is to correct the violation. If doing this wouldn't cost you very much, or pose a major inconvenience, you should obviously do this.

Sometimes, however, a landowner wants to make improvements on their property which might constitute a slight violation of Santa Monica, California's zoning laws. In this case, the owner can apply for a variance - an official agreement from the local government to not enforce a particular zoning regulation. Generally, variances are granted when the violation is very minor, and, enforcing the letter of the zoning law would not do much to advance its broader purpose.

Further, if you have been living on your property for a long time, and made improvements on it that complied with the zoning laws in effect at the time, a new zoning law that would be violated by your current use of your property, the new law cannot be enforced against you. The U.S. Constitution bars the passage of "ex post facto," or retroactive, laws. Once the laws take effect, however, you'll have to comply with the new zoning laws with respect to any new improvements you want to make on your property.

What Can A Santa Monica, California Attorney Do?

If you are in the process of physically altering your property, you are almost certain to face some issues having to do with local zoning laws. If you find that zoning laws are making it very difficult to use your property as you see fit, you may have legal recourse, usually in the form of a variance. Of course, your chances of success in any zoning dispute will be immeasurably increased if you have the help of a qualified Santa Monica, California attorney.

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Life in Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California is an affluent beachfront city in Los Angeles County. It has a population of about 90,000 people.

It is known for its scenic setting on the shores of the Santa Monica Bay, its laid-back culture, and affluent population.

Many notable businesses and organizations have their headquarters in and near Santa Monica, California, providing a major boost to the city's economy. These companies include Universal Music Group, Lions Gate Films, the RAND Corporation, and others. Many other companies also have branch offices in Santa Monica, California including Google, Volkswagen, and Microsoft.

These companies employ and retain a large number of Santa Monica, California lawyers, many of whom have very sophisticated and successful practices.

Accordingly, there's almost certainly a Santa Monica, California attorney who can help you with whatever legal issue you might have. Santa Monica, California lawyers are ready to hear your case.

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